Universal coupling



Sept. 20, 1927. 1,643,017

(3., H. HUFFERD UNIVERSAL COUPLING Filed Feb.26. 1926 I 2 Sheets-She et1 e. H.- HUFFERD UNIVERSAL COUPLING Filed Feb.26. 1926 2 sheets-shed 2Sept. 20, 1927. 3.017

MENTOR. '44 45 GEORGE/7. HUFFEI? ATTORNEY ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEQRGE EUIFEBD, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 THOMPSON PRODUCTSINCL,- OF CLEVELAND, 01110, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

UNIVERSAL COUPLING.

Application filed February as, 926; Serial No. 90,843.

The invention relates to universal couplings, adapted to transmit rotarymotion from a driving member, such as an engine shaft, to a drivenshaft, such as the transmission shaft of an automobile which givesrotary motion to the rear axles.

Universal couplings have been constructed in many different forms, manyof which are complicated and expensive to .manufacture.

1o lit is the object of this invention to lower the cost of such acoupling, While retainin the desirable factors ofsafety and durabllity.To this end I utilize, as a feature ofm invention, the ball studcommonly employed in connecting rods and drag links. According to thisinvention the shank of such a ball stud is rigidly connected to one ofthe rotating parts and the ball is connected to the other part foruniversal motion thereon.

The invention may be embodied in many difierent'forms, but for thepurpose of explaining the principles involved in the invention Tdisclose herein three forms of embodiment, any one of which may bepreferred according to the situation in which it is to be employed.

In the annexed drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on line l[T of Fig. 3 through oneform of coupling made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the coupling show in Fig. 1. v

Fi 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on line JUL-HT of Fig. 1;

Fi a is a vertical section on line llVTV of Fig. 3 through two adjacentball studs, one connected withthe driving member and the other with thedriven member;

Fi 5 is a vertical section through a moon fied orm'of coupling in whichthe ball studs are radially arranged;

Fig. 6 is a section on line of Fig.

5, through twoadjacent ball studs, one connected with the driving memberand the other with the driven member;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section throu h a third modification, in whichtheinterme iate member is placed outside of the yokes connected with'theldriving and driven members;

Fig. dis a perspective view of a segmental dust shield employed in theform illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. V

Referring to the drawings 1n detail, in Man Hmsame reference numeral isused Y19, and coil springs 20 are interposedthroughoutto designate thesame part, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 which illustrate theform preferred for most situations,

a driving shaft 1 is provided at its end with radial diametricallyopposed arms 2, 2 rovided with apertures 3, 3, and a drivens aft 4 isprovided with like arms. An intermediate member designated generally by5, serves to connect the driving and driven members. This intermediatemember is composed of two mating metallic plates 6, 6, of any suitablecontour, near the margin of each of which is preferably formed anannular groove 7, and at the center of which is an aperture 8. Betweenthe center of each plate and the annular groove 7, the late is providedwith spherically curved ball seats 9, 9", the ball seats 9 belnghemispherical-and arranged diametrically opposite each other, and thediametrically arranged ball seats 9 being the segments of spheres breason of an aperture 10 formed therein or the' pas sage of the shank 11of a ball stud, the ball 12 of which is adapted to'have bearing in 3 theball seats. When the plates 6, 6*, are

, properly arranged an apertured ball seat 9* is opposed to ahemispherical ball seat 9, and alternate ball studs engaged therein at90 apart have their shanks projecting in opposite directions inlongitudinal planes. The shanks 11 of the ball studs enter the apertures3, 3 in the arms-of the driving and driven members and are secured inplace preferably by nuts 13 threaded onto the ends of the shanks, lockedplaceby a cotter pin v Continued motion of the ball 12 in the ball seatscauses wear and consequent looseness in the ball joint which it isdesirable to take up automatically. For this purpose, as originallyassembled, the ball 12' will be of a size to space the plates 6, fislightly apart;

end and a spring retaining cup 18 at its opgm 9. tween the abutment 17and plate 6, and the retaining cup 18, and plate 6*, whereby hepositeend, held in place by a removable ball seats are constantly pressed intoengagement withthe balls 12, i. e., theplates are biased toward eachother whereby wear inv the ball joint is automatically taken up. I

In order to prevent the entrance of dust and dirt into the ball joint anannular washer 21 of rubber, felt, or other resilient I seat. 9 arespherically curved thereby to acthis invention to arra-n their shanksradial to t e drivingand driven members, of which I show two arrangeicommodate' these parts to the relative motion between the intermediateand driving or driven members.

' In the form of the invention above described the ball studs have theirshanks arran d lon itudinally, i. e., in planes genera y p-ar' el to theaxes of the driving and driven members. Itis within the scope of theball studs with ments, in Figs. 5 and 6,' and 7 and 8, respectively.

'As illustrated in Figs. 5 and-6 the ends of the driving and drivenmembers are provided with yokes 24 having arms 25 parallel with the axesof the shafts and diametrically opposed, provided with radial apertures26 m which are rigidly secured the shanks of the ball studs. Locatedbetween the arms 25 of the yokes' is an intermediate member 27 havingthe same general characteristics as the intermediate member 5, abovedescribed, consisting of mating sections 28 having spherically curved baseats 29 to receive the balls of the ball studs, the shanks ofwhich'project radiallyoutwardly through the apertures 26 in the arms ofthe yoke 24. In this case the mating sections are each, formedpreferably from solid material, pro- I vide'd 'at the center with springreceiving recesses 30, and with. a pin receiv ng aperture 31 ofsmallerdiameter, exten from the bottom of therecess to the inner ace ofthe section.- The sections 28 are connected by a tension bolt 32provided with a fixed I spring abutment at one end and .a removablespring abutment at the other end, simi lar to that above described,between which abutments and the bottoms of the recesses 30, are confinedcoil springs 33. The con joint action of the parts is similar to that ae described in connection with the ement fahown'in Figs. 1 to 4.- Inthisembodimmt the ball Lomt is exposed to the t scribed.

entran$ M. dust at to preclude which dust covers 34 are provided havingflanged bases of cylindrical to conform to the curvature of the outer'iedgs of the mating sections 28 and with coil-.springs35 as above de-In Fig. 7 is another form,

walls of the mati e outer margin only,

lar to the form just described except that the intermediate member isplaced outside the yokes on the driving and driven members, thisarrangement involving slight changes in detaiL, As in the form justdescribed, the shanks of theball studs are rigidly secured in the armsofthe yokes but the balls are placedon'the outside instead of the insideof the yokesD To accommodate 76 this arrangement the intermediate member36 is composed of two mating sections 37 of annular form, in which theballs of the ballstuds have hearing. In this form the bearings areexposed at their outer ends, for.

which reason an annular washer 38 is set into annular registeringgrooves m the mating sections, similar to the arrangement illustrated inFigs. 1 to 4. The inner side of the bearingis protected by segmentaldust plates 39 (Fig. 8), curved to'fit the inner 7 ngsections and-havingrecesses 40' at their: ends which engage the curved shanks of the ballstuds, coil springs 41 engaging theyokesand the plates and holding thelatter in position. Whenever it is found desirable, intheseseveralforms,

felt washers 42, such as illustrated in Fig.

7, are inserted between the connected parts and above the shanks'of theball stud. In this form of construction the matin sections of theintermediate member are hi toward each other by any suitable resilientmeans. In connection with this form I have shown a biasin means of aconstruction somewhat diifering from those heretofore described, Asshown, bolts 43 are employedwhich pass through registering apertures in.

the mating sections near the margins there I 44 surround the threadedof, and' -spr" ends of the b0 ts in abutting relation .to the outerfaceof a matingsection and nuts 45 d to constantly draw the matingsections together..

From

parent that I have devised a universal couthe'above description it willbe appling that is safe and-durable and which may be manufactured .atalow cost.- While" I have disclosed several embodiments of the invention,it is obvious that it may embodied in other forms and that the variousdetails niay be changed without departing from the principles hereindisclosed. It is therefore to beunderstood that the invention is notconfined to the details shown but includes all structures comprehendedwithin the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. -A universal "couplingcomprising driwand driven members each havingradial armsat its ends, an intermediate member driving tethe drivenmember consisting of adapted to transmit rotary motion from the twomating parts each havin spherically I curved ball seats, ball studs avintheir balls in the ball se'atsand Wlth the shanks of alternate ballstuds connected to the driving and driven members, resp%- tively, theball being of a diameter to slightly space apart the mating parts of theintermediate member, and yielding means constantly pressing the matingparts toward each other.

2. In a universal coupling an intermediate member comprising two matingplates each provided with hemispherical ball seats, the ball seats ofopposed plates facing each other to form spherical ball seats, andyielding means biasing the plates toward each other. p

3. In a universal coupling an intermediate member comprising two matingplates each provided with hemispherical ball seats, the ball seats ofopposed plates facing each form an annular washer-receiving chamber.

4. In a universal coupling an interm'diate membe'r comprising two matingplates each provided with hemispherical ball seats,

the ball seats of opposed plates facing each other to form sphericalball seats, and yielding means biasing the plates toward each otherconsisting of a pin passing centrally through the plates and havingabutments at opposite ends and coil springs between the abutments andthe plates.

Signed by me this 22nd day of January, 1926.

GEORGE H. HUFFERD.

